April 22, 2026

Dr. Manu Vora Receives 2026 Baldrige Foundation Award For Nonprofit Leadership

byIndia West

India-West News Desk

NAPERVILLE, IL – The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award has officially honored Dr. Manu K. Vora with the 2026 Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in the Nonprofit sector. The recognition, presented in Washington, D.C., marks the first time an Indian American charity leader has received the honor for performance excellence and visionary leadership.

As the Founder, Director, and President of the Blind Foundation for India (BFI) since 1989, Vora has spent over three decades transforming the lives of the visually impaired. His leadership is defined by the rigorous application of the U.S. Baldrige Excellence Framework, which he integrated into the foundation’s core DNA, the organization said. By prioritizing data-driven decision-making, effective governance, and donor centricity, Vora has steered BFI through 37 years of sustainable growth and operational success.

Under Dr. Vora’s guidance, BFI has raised more than $8 million, directly impacting over 15 million people across India. His systematic approach to nonprofit management has facilitated 300,000 free cataract operations, three million eyesight checkups, and the distribution of 10,000 Braille Kits for children.

Furthermore, the foundation has deployed 151 mobile vans to ensure medical access for remote populations. This award underscores Dr. Vora’s unwavering commitment to the Baldrige mission, proving that corporate-level performance excellence can be successfully leveraged to solve global humanitarian crises and create an enduring legacy of service.

Return To List

Baldrige Excellence Framework

Overview: Baldrige Framework National Technical Committee

The Baldrige Framework National Technical Committee is a formally convened body of recognized experts, recipients, examiners, and sector representatives charged with maintaining the technical integrity, precision, and consistency of the Baldrige Excellence Framework as a globally recognized standard of excellence.

Operating under the authority of the Baldrige Foundation Board of Directors, and with the approval of the U.S. Department of Commerce, this Advisory Committee, guided by its Chair, ensures that the Framework continues to reflect the highest standards of systems thinking, organizational assessment, and performance excellence, which will allow organizations and communities to improve their performance, achieve results, and sustain excellence.

The Committee’s purpose is to:

Preserve and validate the technical accuracy of the Framework’s concepts, criteria, and structure.
Advise the Foundation on proposed revisions, updates, cross-sector adaptations, and the development of additional tools and resources.
Ensure consistency across versions and sectors, maintaining the Framework’s unity, integration, and interpretive reliability.
Provide expert recommendations regarding emerging practices, data requirements, and alignment with related industry-recognized standards.
Safeguard the integrity of the Baldrige model as a trusted national and global standard.
Partner with others in the Baldrige ecosystem to coordinate a relationship between the Baldrige Excellence Framework and the Baldrige Award Criteria that is based on consistency, logic, and harmony to benefit user groups such as Applicants.

Membership in the Committee represents a professional distinction and reflects deep expertise in applying, teaching, or advancing the Baldrige Excellence Framework. Members serve as the technical stewards of the nation’s standard for organizational excellence. The term of a committee member is one (1) year and is renewable by invitation only.

Baldrige Framework National Technical Committee Listing

Data Table
Role	Name	Title	Company
Chair	Denise Shields	Board Chair	California Council for Excellence
Officer / Ex-Officio	Josh Racette	President & CEO	Baldrige Foundation
Member	Dawn Bailey	Program Manager / Senior Technical Writer and Editor	Baldrige Executive Fellows Program / Forensic Building Science, Inc.
Member	Margot Hoffman	President & CEO / Board Chair	The Partnership for Excellence / Alliance for Performance Excellence
Member	Jan Johnson	President & CEO	Jordan Johnson, Inc.
Member	Cindy Milrany	Chief Strategy Officer/Chief Administrative Officer	Freese & Nichols
Member	Urvi Patel	Senior Director - Quality and Programs	American Health Care Association
Member	JoAnn Sternke	Founder	Leader Excellence
Committee Advisor	Bob Fangmeyer	Program Director	Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
Committee Advisor	Harry Hertz	Director Emeritus - retired	Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
Committee Advisor	Brian Lassiter	President & CEO	Alliance for Performance Excellence

We are Building a Legacy of Excellence

Help us provide inspiration to the thousands of organizations in manufacturing, health care, education, communities, and government that are using the Baldrige Framework to create jobs and strengthen the economy, increase the quality and access to health care, and improve K-12 and higher education as we navigate these challenging times.

Learn More